Poker Question

[pooptarts92]

Ok so back in the day I've always wanted to try and be the ultimate poker player... lawlz. But anywho I sort of gave up that dream, and today I randomly was watching it at work on tv and thought to myself... I should get back in the game.
So my questions are what are some good books to read up on, regarding how to play certain hands depending on your position, hand odds, how to do quick pot odds/hand odds calculations in your head while in a hand?
And also, what's a beginner bankroll? I heard you can play with a small bank and basically build a big one by playing smart/correct.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Lonesome Gambler]

"Professional No-Limit Hold 'Em," "The Theory of Poker," "Elements of Poker."
30 buy-ins should be fine for cash games. Good luck!

 

[Sucker]

So my questions are what are some good books to read up on, regarding how to play certain hands depending on your position, hand odds, how to do quick pot odds/hand odds calculations in your head while in a hand?

As far as covering the purposes that you're stating, the best read possible is ANYTHING by David Sklansky.

 

[tezzadiver]

Ok so back in the day I've always wanted to try and be the ultimate poker player... lawlz. But anywho I sort of gave up that dream, and today I randomly was watching it at work on tv and thought to myself... I should get back in the game.
So my questions are what are some good books to read up on, regarding how to play certain hands depending on your position, hand odds, how to do quick pot odds/hand odds calculations in your head while in a hand?
And also, what's a beginner bankroll? I heard you can play with a small bank and basically build a big one by playing smart/correct.
Thanks in advance.

If you are going to play shorthanded- 6 max. I recommend Ryan Fee`s ebook. There is much more variance in the game though- Stick to full ring at the beginning and just play solid hands. Once you are more confident open your range up. Good luck!:cool2:

 

[non-self-weighter]

Do you want to play limit or no limit?

Tournaments or cash games?

NL - Already Mentioned (Professional No-Limit Hold 'Em)

Limit - Small Stakes Hold'em Poker

If you also want to play tourneys, in addition to the above book(s), you should also read Harrington on Hold'em (which focuses on NL tourneys). You could also read, Tournament Poker for Advanced Players.

Theory of Poker is good too for any game you choose to play.

I would hold off on Elements of POker, even though I highly recommend the book, I don't think it's for beginners. Not that it has too advanced material, but it doesn't really cover fundamentals about how to play.

You can basically start with any $ amount and play within your stakes online. Generally (though I think, as in blackjack, bankroll management shouldn't follow such simple rules), most people suggest 50 buyins for tourney players, 300 BB (big bets, not big blinds) for limit players, and idk how much for NL players. I'm sure it's more than for limit.

 

[moo321]

I recommend 500 big bets for online limit because of multi-tabling, and 40-50 buy-ins for no limit.

 

[fubster]

If you are going to play shorthanded- 6 max. I recommend Ryan Fee`s ebook. There is much more variance in the game though- Stick to full ring at the beginning and just play solid hands. Once you are more confident open your range up. Good luck!:cool2:

can't agree more.

 

[pooptarts92]

Thanks for the replies guys. What exactly do you mean by "buy-ins"? Like the minimum buy in for the poker room type thing? And I will be playing no-limit hold 'em.

 

[Sucker]

Thanks for the replies guys. What exactly do you mean by "buy-ins"? Like the minimum buy in for the poker room type thing? And I will be playing no-limit hold 'em.

Many poker rooms have a maximum amount that they will allow you to buy in for. Moo is recommending that your entire BR be at least 40-50 times that. There are some very good reasons as to why this is good advice. The swings in poker can be even more brutal than blackjack. No matter HOW good you are, you can lose for a very long time. If you DON'T break your BR up into small buyins, you run the risk of tapping out in ONE hand!

Another reason for breaking the BR up: (And this will happen OFTEN) Suppose you run into a situation where you're faced with a decision as to whether or not to call an all-in bet, KNOWING that you're a tiny favorite to win the hand. If you only have a fraction of your BR on the table, it will be much easier to make the call, whereas if your ENTIRE bankroll is at risk, it may actually be CORRECT to play incorrectly by FOLDING.

 

[moo321]

Thanks for the replies guys. What exactly do you mean by "buy-ins"? Like the minimum buy in for the poker room type thing? And I will be playing no-limit hold 'em.

No, I mean the max buy-ins.

For example, if you want to play 1-3 NL, the max buy-in is $300 (you should probably be buying in for this amount). For a full-time pro, or a semi-pro online player, I would recommend 40-50 times this. So, $9-12k.

Or, in limit, we structure bankrolls based on the big bet. A full time 3-6 limit player should probably have 500 * $6 = $3000.

Although, these bankroll considerations are simply for bankroll purposes. They don't include fixed expenses. For most people, I would recommend 6 months living expenses plus their bankroll before they go pro.

 

[pooptarts92]

No, I mean the max buy-ins.

For example, if you want to play 1-3 NL, the max buy-in is $300 (you should probably be buying in for this amount). For a full-time pro, or a semi-pro online player, I would recommend 40-50 times this. So, $9-12k.

Or, in limit, we structure bankrolls based on the big bet. A full time 3-6 limit player should probably have 500 * $6 = $3000.

Although, these bankroll considerations are simply for bankroll purposes. They don't include fixed expenses. For most people, I would recommend 6 months living expenses plus their bankroll before they go pro.

Wow I read on here that poker can be played with a smaller BR than BJ, and my BJ bankroll is like 6k... 9-10k is too much for me lol, thanks anyways guys...

 

[Nynefingers]

Wow I read on here that poker can be played with a smaller BR than BJ, and my BJ bankroll is like 6k... 9-10k is too much for me lol, thanks anyways guys...

You still have plenty to play $100NL (aka $.50/1NL) online. You'll obviously want to start at lower stakes until you become a better player, but if you can play $100NL well, you'll most likely make more money doing that than counting on a $6k bankroll. And by the time you have learned enough to play $200NL, you'll have won enough to be comfortably bankrolled for that game too.

 

[1357111317]

For a 1/2 game with a 200 dollar buy in A skilled player probably doesnt need more than 3-4k for a bankroll because the games are horribly bad. All you need to do is nut peddle in those games and you will do fine.

 

[fubster]

For a 1/2 game with a 200 dollar buy in A skilled player probably doesnt need more than 3-4k for a bankroll because the games are horribly bad. All you need to do is nut peddle in those games and you will do fine.

also agree. live lowstakes nl games are not really variance-fests. you can just sit around and then smash the pot with 2p+.

i'd say that for a decent patient live player, 15buyins is plenty.

 

[moo321]

For a 1/2 game with a 200 dollar buy in A skilled player probably doesnt need more than 3-4k for a bankroll because the games are horribly bad. All you need to do is nut peddle in those games and you will do fine.

Again, this is for a full-time pro. Game selection is also a very big factor here. In a good game, you can probably get by with less, or if you're a very good player. But for someone who's grinding $10-15 an hour out of a decent but not fantastic $1-2 NL game, I'd recommend they keep some cash behind.

It's sort of like the ROR in blackjack. Yes, I could play with a 5% ROR as a pro, but I don't know anyone who does it. Most pros are at 1% or less, which would be comparable to 30-50 buy-ins, depending vastly on skill and game selection.

 

[fubster]

also, i doubt there's any successful full time professional players grinding live 1/2. after you factor in expenses (gas, health insurance, taxes etc) you're playing a breakeven game more or less.

you have to be VERY good at playing an extremely exploitable game vs fish to succeed at live 1/2, and that's a complex skillset to master, frankly.

 

[Brock Windsor]

No, I mean the max buy-ins.

For example, if you want to play 1-3 NL, the max buy-in is $300 (you should probably be buying in for this amount). For a full-time pro, or a semi-pro online player, I would recommend 40-50 times this. So, $9-12k.

Or, in limit, we structure bankrolls based on the big bet. A full time 3-6 limit player should probably have 500 * $6 = $3000.

Although, these bankroll considerations are simply for bankroll purposes. They don't include fixed expenses. For most people, I would recommend 6 months living expenses plus their bankroll before they go pro.

What kind of hourly return are you looking at in the two online games described above if you can play 12 tables with a simple book based skillset? (premium hands only, use position, know your pot odds). What about with rakeback and bonuses?
-BW

 

[1357111317]

What kind of hourly return are you looking at in the two online games described above if you can play 12 tables with a simple book based skillset? (premium hands only, use position, know your pot odds). What about with rakeback and bonuses?
-BW

You need to be a good poker player nowadays to beat a .50/1 online. You need a hand tracking software as well. If you are good though you could make about 20-40 dollars an hour depending on how good you are.

 

[moo321]

What kind of hourly return are you looking at in the two online games described above if you can play 12 tables with a simple book based skillset? (premium hands only, use position, know your pot odds). What about with rakeback and bonuses?
-BW

Rakeback, and especially bonuses, completely change the equation.

I used to make a killing off of those bonuses.

 

[sabre]

You need to be a good poker player nowadays to beat a .50/1 online. You need a hand tracking software as well. If you are good though you could make about 20-40 dollars an hour depending on how good you are.

I'd agree. Note that online games now are SIGNIFICANTLY more difficult than they were a few years ago.